The invention relates to a knitted part flat-knitted from at least one ground knitting thread.
A knitted part of this type is known in a very wide variety of forms, for example in the form of a stocking, in the form of a pantyhose, in the form of an abdominal part and the like. In addition to its being constructed as a circular knit, the knitted part is also known to be fabricated as a flat knit. It is occasionally desired or therapeutically advantageous for the knitted part to exert an at least local massaging effect on the human body. A merely illustrative example of a therapeutically relevant application is the production of a massaging effect for the purpose of treating plantar fasciitis, a disorder of the aponeurosis plantaris, which is associated with pain in the bottom of the foot, at the site of transition into the heel. In order to achieve such a massaging effect, EP 0 919 145 A2 for example discloses knitting the knitted part at least locally in a quasi three-dimensional manner, i.e., to knit so as to form local elevations directed towards the wearer. Since knitted parts of this type typically fit the wearer relatively closely, a minimally increased pressure due to the elevations directed towards the wearer will thus come about in the three-dimensionally knitted region, so these elevations do altogether produce a slight massaging effect as the body part in question moves. Yet prior art knitted parts of this type are disadvantageous in that the magnitude of these elevations is but relatively minimal, meaning that the elevations project but minimally out of the surface of the knitted part, so the massaging effect is likewise relatively minimal.